taste Delicious win streak Peking Chinese Restaurant has been serving Asian specialties for 23 years Written by Allan Borgen Photos by Gabriel Lu<strong>is</strong> Acosta Finding a restaurant that serves cons<strong>is</strong>tently delicious food unfortunately <strong>is</strong> not that easy. so, once you find one that has been doing it wonderfully for 23 years, it must be a truly special place — and the Peking Chinese restaurant <strong>is</strong> just that. Owners amy and Chi Wang and their daughter, Leann, are a family on a m<strong>is</strong>sion to prepare the best quality food and provide the best service. Midnight Seafood at Peking Chinese Restaurant
Leann Wang with her parents, Amy and Chi Wang, at Peking Chinese Restaurant “We really care about making each customer feel at home and serve quality food at affordable prices,” Amy said. It’s no wonder the <strong>Riverside</strong> restaurant — which has a loyal following — has flour<strong>is</strong>hed for all these years. Peking serves authentic Chinese d<strong>is</strong>hes, and many of the selections are ones that are more commonly found in Monterey Park and Chinatown, communities with large Asian populations. <strong>The</strong> restaurant’s small dining room, which seats about 50 hungry diners, <strong>is</strong> nicely decorated with traditional Chinese artwork, and, with its private dining room (seating 30), Peking Chinese <strong>is</strong> a great place to host a party or office function. Everything made here <strong>is</strong> fresh and tasty, including the handmade noodles and the marvelous dumplings, which can be prepared fried, steamed, boiled or pan-fried on one side. During a recent v<strong>is</strong>it, I ordered the Pan Fried Dumplings (Pot Stickers; $8.95), which were eight delicious, chewy-fresh dumplings filled with beef, Napa cabbage, ginger, green onions and soy sauce. Each of the dumplings was sensational and came with a soy dipping sauce. Talk about a perfect start to a most enjoyable meal. Every time I dine at a Chinese restaurant, I always order a Chinese soup, and the popular and aromatic Sizzling Rice Soup ($7.25) was a good choice. Th<strong>is</strong> soup cons<strong>is</strong>ts of a large bowl of chicken broth with shrimp, chicken, mushrooms, baby corn, Chinese peas and water chestnuts topped with hot cr<strong>is</strong>py-fried rice, which <strong>is</strong> served tableside. <strong>The</strong> dramatic sizzling sounds of the hot oil fried rice going into the watery broth, along with the incredible aromas that are produced, makes for one delicious and fun soup to enjoy. Entrees I recommend include Fried Shrimp in Hot Garlic Sauce ($16.95), which cons<strong>is</strong>ts of about 25 succulent shrimp dusted in flour, deep-fried and wok-cooked in a mildly spicy garlic vinegar and ginger sauce with dried chil<strong>is</strong>; the Mongolian Beef ($10.95), which includes slices of tender beef and green onions in a luscious oyster, soy, garlic and ginger sauce; and the special Midnight Seafood ($22.95), with shrimp, scallops, sea cucumber, squid, abalone, two kinds of mushrooms, baby corn and snow peas cooked in delectable ginger garlic sauce and served in a metal pot for all to enjoy. All of these d<strong>is</strong>hes were outstanding, and the portions were large. Fans of spicy-hot foods will enjoy the signature Three Flavor Hot Noodle Soup ($8.95), with fresh handmade noodles in a chicken stock with sea cucumber, squid, shrimp, zucchini, carrots, cabbage and spinach. <strong>The</strong> broth <strong>is</strong> hot and spicy, and will surely warm your body and soul — especially on a cold night. I have found that dining at Peking Chinese Restaurant <strong>is</strong> such a pleasure, and I am confident you will enjoy it too. Allan Borgen <strong>is</strong> a member of the Southern California Restaurant Writers and International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association. He <strong>is</strong> host of the new “Let’s Dine Out” TV show, on KVCR (Channel 24) on Fridays at 6:30 p.m. and repeated on Saturdays at 4 p.m. <strong>The</strong> “Let’s Dine Out” radio show <strong>is</strong> on KTIE- AM (590) on Saturdays from 3 to 5 p.m. Email Allan at allan@ktie590.com or call 909-910-3463, and v<strong>is</strong>it h<strong>is</strong> websites: www.letsdineoutshow.com and www.feedme411.com. Peking Chinese Restaurant 11170 C Magnolia Ave., <strong>Riverside</strong> 951-687-4822 Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday– Thursday and Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday Prices: $6.25 to $27.95 Fried Shrimp in Hot Garlic Sauce
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